Maybe there really is something to this propaganda thing Bob Stoops mentioned earlier this summer.

In this case, watch this hand while the other does something else.

Kansas State and Texas Tech are both known in the Big 12 for scheduling the worst nonconference games. This year is no exception. At least they have each other when league-play begins. (AP Photo)

Stoops complained about the SEC’s lack of depth and said “propaganda” was the reason for many believe it to be the deepest conference in college football. He even got a couple of Big 12 coaches—Mack Brown and Charlie Weis—to join the argument.

Meanwhile, the Big 12 enters this season with the worst—and it’s not close—nonconference schedule of the six BCS conferences. In other words, an easier path to success.

There’s Oklahoma at Notre Dame and TCU vs. LSU—and that’s about it. Remember that in December when you’re debating which conference is strongest.

Five best games

Five worst games

Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tech, Sept. 7

Wofford at Baylor, Aug. 31

Southeastern Louisiana at TCU, Sept. 7

William & Mary at West Virginia, Aug. 31

South Dakota at Kansas, Sept. 7

Quick hits

— Fortunately for the Big 12, there is the AAC. Without the reshaping of the old Big East into the American Athletic Conference, the Big 12 would have two fewer games against BCS schools—for a grand total of six. That would have been six of 30 possible. Shameful.

Frankly, the AAC shouldn’t even be part of this discussion, but because BCS administrators don’t want such a successful postseason system to end on a controversial note (don’t kid yourself, it was wildly successful, monetarily), the AAC was grandfathered in. That’s not propaganda, that’s fact.

— Some things never change in the Big 12: Texas Tech and Kansas State are the kings of scheduling down in nonconference games. K-State took a bit of a break the last two years with games against Miami, then returned to form this fall with this trio of heavyweights: FCS North Dakota State, Louisiana-Lafayette and UMass.

Then there’s Texas Tech, the king of taking the easy road. The Red Raiders haven’t played a nonconference game against a BCS school since 2003 (at NC State). Ten years later, the non-con slate looks like this: at SMU, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State. Technically, the BCS string is broken with the game at SMU. But years from now, will you tell your grandchildren you remember when SMU played in a BCS conference? Of course you won’t.

— We picked Oklahoma State to win the Big 12 this fall, and the Cowboys should be favored to win every game until mid-November. Part of that process is a cakewalk of a non-con schedule, including a hyped neutral site game against an SEC team that some coaches in the Big 12 said was part of the propaganda (Mississippi State was one of the eight SEC schools who were a combined 0-30 against the top six). Can’t have it both ways, fellas.

— Speaking of having it both ways, Ole Miss (see: propaganda) suddenly is a big game for Texas—which moved the game to the Longhorn Network because, let’s not kid ourselves, rabid Ole Miss fans will buy LHN subscriptions to see the game. And that could move the LHN from near deathbed to merely tanking. That’s also one of two dicey non-con games for Texas (including at BYU) in a crossroads season for coach Mack Brown.